By Vijune Penikaite, Personal Trainer and Reformer Pilates Instructor with over 10 years of training experience and 3 years in coaching
You want to transform your body. Not just lose weight. Transform.
That means building lean muscle that shapes your physique, burning fat that reveals definition, and gaining the strength that makes you feel powerful in everything you do.
Training women in London has shown me what works: structured strength training with progressive overload, varied equipment, and consistency. This 3-day body transformation programme delivers all three.
I have designed this gym workout split using kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, machines, and TRX to keep your body challenged and progressing. Whether you are a beginner or intermediate lifter, this programme will help you build the strong, confident body you want.
Why Strength Training Transforms Women's Bodies
Cardio alone does not create transformation. Strength training does.
When you lift weights, you build lean muscle mass. Muscle increases your metabolism, meaning you burn more calories even at rest. Muscle creates shape and definition. Muscle is the difference between looking “thin” and looking “fit.”
I combine weight training principles with my Pilates background to help clients build strength while maintaining mobility and core control. This approach creates balanced, functional bodies that look as good as they perform.
Using the 12REPS App for Your Transformation
The 12REPS app is essential for this programme. It takes the guesswork out of training and keeps you progressing.
What the 12REPS app offers:
- Personalised workout plans built around your goals and available equipment
- Over 1,500 exercise demonstrations with proper form guidance
- Progress tracking to log weights, reps, and sets in seconds
- Smart suggestions that tell you when to increase weight
- Pre-planned workouts you can save and follow instantly
Visit just12reps.com to explore everything the app offers. It was built by certified personal trainers who understand what actually works in the gym.
With the 12REPS app, you walk into every session knowing exactly what to do. No wandering between machines. No wasted time. Just focused, effective training.
The 3-Day Split Structure
Day | Focus | Duration |
Day 1 | Upper Body (Push and Pull) | 50-55 min |
Day 2 | Lower Body and Glutes | 50-55 min |
Day 3 | Full Body Power | 50-55 min |
Train on non-consecutive days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday works well) to allow recovery between sessions.
Warm-Up (10 Minutes)
Complete before every workout.
Option A: Incline Treadmill Walk
- 8 minutes at 10-12% incline, 5.5-6.0 km/h
- 2 minutes mobility (arm circles, leg swings, hip circles)
Option B: Stationary Cycle
- 8 minutes moderate resistance
- 2 minutes mobility (hip circles, shoulder rolls, bodyweight squats)
Option C: Mobility Flow
- Cat-cow (1 min), hip circles (1 min), leg swings (2 min), world’s greatest stretch (3 min), arm circles (1 min), glute bridges (2 min)
Day 1: Upper Body (Push and Pull)
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Barbell Bench Press | Barbell | 3 | 10 | 90 sec |
Seated Cable Row | Machine | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
Dumbbell Shoulder Press | Dumbbells | 3 | 10 | 60 sec |
TRX Row | TRX | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
Cable Fly | Machine | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
Dumbbell Lateral Raise | Dumbbells | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
Tricep Rope Pushdown | Machine | 2 | 12 | 45 sec |
Log every set in the 12REPS app. The app shows your previous workout so you know exactly what weight to beat.
Day 2: Lower Body and Glutes
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Barbell Back Squat | Barbell | 4 | 8-10 | 2 min |
Romanian Deadlift | Barbell | 3 | 10 | 90 sec |
Kettlebell Goblet Squat | Kettlebell | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
Leg Press | Machine | 3 | 12 | 60 sec |
TRX Single Leg Squat | TRX | 3 | 8 each | 60 sec |
Lying Leg Curl | Machine | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
Dumbbell Walking Lunge | Dumbbells | 3 | 10 each | 60 sec |
This session targets your glutes, quads, and hamstrings from multiple angles. The variety of equipment ensures complete development.
Day 3: Full Body Power
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Rest |
Kettlebell Swing | Kettlebell | 4 | 15 | 60 sec |
Dumbbell Thruster | Dumbbells | 3 | 10 | 60 sec |
Barbell Row | Barbell | 3 | 10 | 60 sec |
TRX Push Up | TRX | 3 | 12 | 45 sec |
Kettlebell Goblet Reverse Lunge | Kettlebell | 3 | 10 each | 60 sec |
Cable Face Pull | Machine | 3 | 15 | 45 sec |
Plank | Bodyweight | 3 | 30-45 sec | 30 sec |
This session builds explosive power while hitting every major muscle group. The kettlebell swings and thrusters elevate your heart rate for additional fat burning.
Cool-Down (5 Minutes)
Complete after every workout.
Stretch | Duration |
Standing quad stretch | 30 sec each leg |
Standing hamstring stretch | 30 sec each leg |
Chest doorway stretch | 30 sec |
Cross-body shoulder stretch | 30 sec each arm |
Cat-cow | 1 min |
Child’s pose | 1 min |
Track Progress with Pictures
The scale lies. Progress pictures tell the truth.
I require all my clients to take progress photos because they reveal changes the mirror misses. When you see yourself daily, gradual transformation becomes invisible. Photos capture what you cannot see.
How to take effective progress pictures:
- Same time of day (morning before eating)
- Same lighting and location
- Same minimal clothing
- Front, side, and back angles
- Take photos every 2-4 weeks
Store these in your phone alongside your 12REPS app training logs. Together, they tell the complete story of your transformation.
Progressive Overload: The Key to Transformation
Your body adapts. To keep changing, you must keep challenging it.
The 12REPS app tracks your weights and reps, showing exactly what you lifted last session. Your goal each workout is to beat that performance, either with more weight or more reps.
Example progression:
- Week 1: Barbell Squat 30kg x 10 reps
- Week 2: Barbell Squat 30kg x 12 reps
- Week 3: Barbell Squat 32.5kg x 10 reps
- Week 4: Barbell Squat 32.5kg x 12 reps
Small progressions create massive results over time. The app ensures you never guess.
From My Training Experience
Working with women in London, I see the same transformation pattern repeatedly. Clients arrive intimidated by weights, unsure of what to do, and frustrated by lack of results from cardio-only approaches.
Within 8-12 weeks of structured strength training, everything changes. They walk taller. They feel stronger. Their clothes fit differently. Most importantly, their relationship with fitness shifts from obligation to empowerment.
One client, Sarah, came to me after years of avoiding the weights section. Using this exact programme structure and tracking everything in the 12REPS app, she gained visible muscle definition while losing two dress sizes in 16 weeks. Her transformation was not about the scale. It was about building the body she actually wanted.
Getting Started
- Download the 12REPS app and set up your profile
- Take your Day 1 progress photos (you will thank yourself later)
- Complete your first workout following Day 1 above
- Log everything in the app
- Stay consistent for 8-12 weeks minimum
Visit just12reps.com to discover all the features that make the app the perfect training companion.
The Bottom Line
Body transformation requires three things: structured training, progressive overload, and consistency. This 3-day programme provides the structure. The 12REPS app ensures progression. You provide the consistency.
Three days per week. Varied equipment. Smart tracking. Real results.
Your transformation starts now.
Download the 12REPS app and begin your journey today.
Cool-Down Stretching Routine
Stretch | Target | Duration |
Pigeon stretch | Glutes, hips | 45 sec each |
Kneeling hip flexor stretch | Hip flexors | 30 sec each |
Lying spinal twist | Lower back | 30 sec each |
Seated forward fold | Hamstrings | 45 sec |
Thread the needle | Upper back | 30 sec each |
Related Articles on just12reps.com
Article | Link |
Complete Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training | |
Strength Training for Fat Loss | |
Best Exercises for Each Muscle Group |
About the Author: Vijune Penikaite is a Personal Trainer and Reformer Pilates Instructor with over 10 years of training experience and 3 years in coaching. She holds a Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training and is a certified HIIT Instructor. Vijune creates strength and conditioning programmes designed to build muscle, burn fat, and enhance overall performance. By combining weight training, Pilates, and tailored nutrition, she helps clients achieve real, lasting results. She works with women and men who want strong, confident, and healthy bodies. Train with purpose using the 12REPS app.
